Supermarket shoppers in Scotland are to pay up to 25 per cent more for alcohol
than their peers in England under plans for a higher minimum price unveiled
by Nicola Sturgeon today.

The SNP Health Minister has announced she is upping the minimum price she originally proposed from 45p to 50p per unit, leading to an increase in the cost of buying most beverages from shops and off licences.

David Cameron’s Government want to introduce the same measure south of the Border but using a price of 40p, meaning Scottish consumers will have the most expensive drinks bill in the UK.

The proposals will not affect alcohol bought in pubs or premium-quality drinks, such as fine wines and malt whiskies, which already cost more than 50p per unit.

However, they will lead to increases in the price of around three-quarters of alcoholic drinks including most lagers and ciders, some spirits, including blended whiskies, and cheaper wines.

A 50p minimum price would mean a bottle of wine costing at least £4.70, a bottle of supermarket-brand vodka £13.13, a bottle of Bell’s whisky would cost £14 and a six-pack of lager around £6.

It was reported yesterday that she won the Scottish Cabinet’s backing to increase the minimum price following a political battle with John Swinney, the SNP Finance Minister.

Announcing the move at Glasgow Royal Infirmary today, Miss Sturgeon said: "Too many Scots are drinking themselves to death. The problem affects people of all walks of life.

"It's no coincidence that as affordability has increased, alcohol-related hospital admissions have quadrupled, and it is shocking that half of our prisoners now say they were drunk when they committed the offence. It's time for this to stop.

"Introducing a minimum price per unit will enable us to tackle these problems, given the clear link between affordability and consumption."

Recent research suggests setting a 50p minimum price will reduce Scotland’s alcohol consumption by 6.7 per cent. Modest drinkers would pay only £12 extra per year, while those whose consumption is deemed harmful would have to find another £138.

According to figures supplied by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), which opposed the move, minimum pricing will increase the cost of 73 per cent of all alcohol bought from shops.

This figure includes 92 per cent of vodka, 72 per cent of whisky, 77 per cent of beer and 63 per cent of wine.

The legislation is making its second passage through the Scottish Parliament, having been blocked by opposition parties before last year’s Holyrood election.

Miss Sturgeon won over the Tories by promising a ‘sunset clause’, meaning it will be reviewed in six years to ensure it is effective.

Although only Labour is expected to oppose it this time, the measure may still be declared illegal under EU competition law. Legal action is expected from the drinks industry.

Aileen Keyes, the WSTA’s policy and campaigns manager, said: “The announcement of the minimum unit price will make clear just how far hard-pressed Scottish consumers’ budgets will be stretched.”